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April 7, 2014

You asked, here it is: My Writing Process

My good friend, military romance author Natasza Waters, tagged me to participate in
the MWP (My Writing Process) blog tour. I happily agreed because it’s different
from others I’ve participated in. The idea is to explain how I write by
answering four questions.

I should mention that I met Natasza Waters last summer at the Romance Novel Convention in Las
Vegas. We didn't have a whole lot of time to hang out, she was uber busy with
her duties as an author and review contributor to InD’tale magazine. However, the little bit we
were able to visit sparked a friendship and now I’m an absolute fan of her work.

Two projects at the moment. Book Three in The Centaurs series –
Mythic Divine. I’m over half way complete with the first draft and it’s looking
GREAT! I’m giving you more of the sexy shape-shifter Centaurs, sexy Nymphs, and
who could forget the villain, Pennelope. My books have been classified as
fantasy because of the characters, yet with shape-shifting I've crossed over
into the paranormal realm. This series has been the work of my heart and I hope
you’ve enjoyed the journey like I have. After all, we can only play in the real
world for so long…

The second story I’m one chapter away from completing (squee!)
is a twisted fairytale I titled Continuum.
It will be available in April 2014, along with nine other romance authors, in
an anthology we’re calling “Wicked Fairytales: The Curvy Collection”.

2. How does my work differ from others of its
genre?

In Remedy Maker, my debut
novel, I took a Centaur and made him real. Rhycious is a former military medic
with two hundred years of front-line war experience. Patching his brothers up
might have saved their lives, leaving them with physical scars, but he never
thought he would be left with the mental wounds. PTSD is his constant companion
and he believes he’ll never find love with his aggressive condition. That is,
until he meets a fun-loving bundle of positive energy named Patience…who just
happens to be a Wood Nymph, the enemy of his people.

My stories are different because my Centaurs are shape-shifters,
yet no different than you and I. Then I took a Wood Nymph and made them
warriors, however they’re more of an ally than the Centaurs realized with their
ability to appear and disappear in and out of trees. To round out the cast of
characters, I added Trolls who can dive underground and a few Minotaurs and
Satyrs as extras.

3. Why do I write what
I write?

I grew up riding horses. It’s true! When I was five years old, I
climbed on an old gelding and have ridden ever since. My parents boarded horses
back then, and on my 10th Christmas I was given a mare of my own.
Fast-forward a decade plus and I found myself married to a cowboy. More horses,
cattle, sheep, dogs…lots of shoveling, if you get my drift.

Write what you know. I know I like to daydream. I also know
horses. Put the two together and what do you get? Yup, shape-shifting centaurs
with a Happily Ever After.

4. How does my writing
process work?

Originally, when I first started out, I actually had a schedule
of sorts. I’d write a minimum of four hours a day, and more if I could fit it
in. Nowadays my writing spurts are more sporadic. I can lay down a novella in
just two days if left alone with my imagination. Not so easy with a
self-employed husband and two teenage boys. I’m hoping for a summer where
everyone has somewhere to go. J

Before I start my story, I write a complete outline. I don’t
mark where chapters begin or end, but highlight the situations, moments of
character study, and sometimes this includes dialogue I think may be important.
This gives me a road-map of sorts to follow. If I deviate and take a scenic
route, I’ll adjust my outline and keep going. It’s hard to turn off my
inner-editor, and some days I can’t move on until what I've written is the best
it can be. But a good friend once told me that you can’t edit a blank page. I
try to remember that always.

Now, how does this blog continue? I’ll tag a couple authors and
on April 14th you can read about their writing process on their
sites. Here’s who I tag:

A.R. Von: Ava and I met
about three years ago. She reviewed Remedy Maker and I continued to visit her
site. Once we became fast friends on Facebook, it was all click and
seal-the-deal from there. A.R. Von writes Zombie romance, a genre I never
thought I’d read but found I enjoy very much! She really knows how to spin a
tale. Her Wunder series is available from all retailers. https://www.facebook.com/ARVon2

Katie St. Claire: As a new writer, the first thing I did
was join an online critique writers group called Rom-Critters. I’ve made tons
of friends and our friendships spill out into the real world (and onto
Facebook). Katie is one of those friends. She’s warm and kind, always upbeat,
and writes exciting Young Adult novels with a bit of paranormal thrown in. Young
people readily identify with Katie’s stories and plot lines. www.katiestclaire.com

It’s
time I got back to pounding at the keyboard. Look for A.R. and Katie on
April 14th. You’ll be entertained and pleasantly surprised by what you’ll
learn!

10 comments:

Excellent post. I loved learning about your writing process. I wish I could be as organized as you and write an outline--would make my life much easier. I have tried the outline thing, but never stick to it, lol. Plus, I'm lazy.

I have always viewed outlines as similar to a grocery list. You start out with a set plan, but along the way to the eggs and the coffee creamer you come across so really good stuff. Which gives you an idea that you cannot resist trying out. . . . And by the time you get to check out, you are wondering what to put back so you can justify the Starbucks coffee break you need after spending so far over your budget. . . . guh! Thank you for this article. Next time I stick to my budget *sort of*

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About Me

Always on the hunt for the uncommon things in life, award-winning author Sheri Fredricks thrives on creating romantic adventures.
A former engineering secretary, she lives on California’s beautiful central coast. "I wanted to move away from a profession of inflexible right angles and create an unboxed world with no boundaries." A voracious reader since her early years, Sheri found her brain crowded with stories of her own. "Ultimately," she says, "my husband encouraged me to write them all down."
Winner of the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Award, and a Finalist multiple times for InD’Tale eMagazine’s Reward Of Novel Excellence award (RONE), she has numerous five-star reviews everywhere eBooks are sold.
Sheri loves to spend time at home and connecting with readers. A computer hutch keeps her focused on creating stories, but the panoramic view of life on a ranch will call her outside to play in the sun.